Programming Windows®, Fifth Edition

Client-Area Mouse Messages

In the previous chapter, you saw how Windows sends keyboard messages only to the window that has the input focus. Mouse messages are different: a window procedure receives mouse messages whenever the mouse passes over the window or is clicked within the window, even if the window is not active or does not have the input focus. Windows defines 21 messages for the mouse. However, 11 of these messages do not relate to the client area. These are called “nonclient-area messages,” and Windows applications usually ignore them.

When the mouse is moved over the client area of a window, the window procedure receives the message WM_MOUSEMOVE. When a mouse button is pressed or released within the client area of a window, the window ...